The Reciting of Pi
by Anastasia Kaliska Dyani Malfoy
Summary: Rodney and Eli have a tradition they like to do in the morning.


Rodney woke up this morning with a cheerful, giggling, bouncing little boy hitting his chest with a wooden spoon. He wasn't hitting him hard – Thank God – though because he learned his lesson last time he decided to wake his Papa with something heavy and weighted.

It had been one of Papa's laptops. That ended badly, suffice to say.

Rodney grunted with every solid connection of the spoon to his chest. He opened his eyes and saw his son, grinning like this was the greatest thing he could be doing with his time right now. He blamed John for this needless violence. It had to be in his blood.

Reaching out, he grabbed the spoon, which let his darling son know he was awake. His eyes widened as he cried out, "Papa!" With a lunge, that Rodney fully expected by now, he wrapped his arms around his Papa's neck and smothered himself in as close as humanly possible. With someone as small as him for his age, that can be pretty close.

Rodney didn't mind much though.

He let the wooden spoon fall to the floor by his bed as he gathered Eli up in his arms, a real smile coming to his lips.

"Are ready baby boy?" Rodney asked as he slowly sat up. Eli let go of his neck and settled down on his lap, still snuggling in close.

Eli's answering nod under his chin made Rodney want to tickle him. But he knew if he did that, it would be a neverending day of catching Eli when he popped out from behind his desk and tickling him till one of his horribly, 'lacking in brains' department minions came and freed him from his _'torment'_. And besides, they already did that yesterday.

"Okay. 3.1415926535…"

Eli grinned up at his Papa and recited dutifully, "…8979323846…"

"…2643383279…" Rodney gave into temptation and ruffled the curly mass on Eli's head. He should have known that his son would inherit that insane mass of curls. Thankfully, it would grow out when he got older. He hoped.

John entered the room at the moment, his mouth opening to say good morning to his two favorite people in the universe. Eli hadn't noticed him yet so Rodney quickly raised his hand to silence him. John gave him a look but shut his mouth and watched his son.

"…50288…um…41971?" Eli gave his Papa a questioning look. When Rodney nodded that he was indeed correct, Eli giggled happily. John choked back a laugh. Of course Rodney would be reciting Pi with his son, in the early hours of the morning. Spotting the wooden spoon on the floor, he walked into the room and stared at it, like he couldn't believe Atlantis even had these in the first place.

Eli preened under his Papa's smiling gaze. He was the smartest kid in two galaxies. After his older cousin Madison that is. He was determined that would change though. He'd get there on her level sooner or later.

Then he noticed John. Eli held out his hands and started waving them wildly, almost hitting Rodney in the shoulder. Rodney made the wise decision to lean back, resting his arms gently around his son's waist. "How was your morning run?" he questioned as John made himself comfortable on the bed with them. As soon as his body hit the prescription mattress, Eli stretched his tiny body out and rested his legs on his daddy's side. John took that opportunity to tickle his feet, making Eli shriek happily and bury them under the mounds of blankets on the bed.

"Oh you know. Same old, same old."

Rodney smirked at John. "Ronon beat you again didn't he?"

"I prefer to think of it as letting him win."

"I bet you do." Rodney started to snicker but John hit him in the side lightly and Rodney quickly bit his lower lip in attempt to stop.

"Daddy! What's next?" Eli was tugging on John's shirt, trying to get his attention. John looked down into his son's brown eyes and fell in love all over again.

"693…" John smiled at Rodney who continued,

"993.." Rodney gave their son a slight jiggle which made him laugh as he finished the set.

"7510!!" he shouted. John and Rodney's eyes met with a grin.

He was their son alright. Who else would enjoy reciting Pi this early in the morning?


End file.
